Skip advert
Advertisement

Used BMW 4 Series (Mk1, 2014-2020) review - What do owners think? 

BMWs are usually well made and very safe, but long-term reliability is on shakier ground

Find your BMW 4 Series
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

BMW 4 Series owners tend to fall into one of two camps: private or company. The latter is likely to choose a diesel engine for pounding Britain’s motorways, while private buyers might opt for one of the excellent petrol engines. Owners rate the car for its connectivity and low running costs, but are less satisfied with the reliability and exterior finish. Be wary when buying a low-mileage 4 Series diesel, as future DPF issues could be on the cards. Indeed, you should opt for a petrol version if you intend to spend most of your time on short trips.

Reliability

The 4 Series finished in 54th place (out of the 75 cars ranked) in our 2018 Driver Power satisfaction survey, which is a considerable fall from its position in 2015, where it came 19th. That said, the 4 Series is growing older, so you would expect it to lose places to newer, more modern cars.



BMW as a whole finished 21st out of the 26 manufacturers which ranked. Putting it above Vauxhall, Fiat and Citroen, but below Audi, Volvo and Jaguar.

Advertisement - Article continues below

In our latest 2021 survey, the BMW 4 Series finished 56th out of 75 cars, while BMW finished a disappointing 21st out of 29 cars on the list of manufacturers. A warm welcome and excellent service are two things you can’t guarantee at a BMW dealer.

Tell us about your car in the Driver Power survey...

Skip advert
Advertisement

Which Is Best

Cheapest

  • Name
    420i M Sport 2dr Step Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £45,890
Select car

Most Economical

  • Name
    420i M Sport 2dr Step Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £45,890
Select car

Fastest

  • Name
    M440i xDrive MHT 392 2dr Step Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £63,235
Select car
Senior test editor

Dean has been part of the Auto Express team for more than 20 years, and has worked across nearly all departments, starting on magazine production, then moving to road tests and reviews. He's our resident van expert, but covers everything from scooters and motorbikes to supercars and consumer products.

New & used car deals

BMW 4 Series

BMW 4 Series

RRP £45,575Avg. savings £7,176 off RRP*Used from £17,995
BMW 3 Series

BMW 3 Series

RRP £33,590Avg. savings £7,586 off RRP*Used from £9,700
Mercedes C Class
Toyota Yaris Cross
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Volvo XC40 facelift: popular SUV gets Range Rover-esque makeover
Volvo XC40 - Ellis Hyde front

New Volvo XC40 facelift: popular SUV gets Range Rover-esque makeover

The pure-electric Volvo EX40 and EC40 coupe-SUV have also been updated again, now delivering up to 359 miles of range
News
10 Sep 2026
New Volkswagen ID. Polo 2026 review: a seriously impressive small EV
Volkswagen ID. Polo - front

New Volkswagen ID. Polo 2026 review: a seriously impressive small EV

The new all-electric Volkswagen ID. Polo is stylish, has plenty of space and is great to drive
Road tests
9 Sep 2026
Long-term test: BMW iX3 50 xDrive M Sport Pro
BMW iX3 50 xDrive - front charging

Long-term test: BMW iX3 50 xDrive M Sport Pro

Second report: Our Vice President of Content and Publishing does a lot of miles but has no home charger. Will an EV suit her?
Long-term tests
9 Sep 2026